


Fascination and Treachery

by NanakiBH



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Begging, Bondage, Bullying, Exhibitionism, Immobility, Jealousy, M/M, Overstimulation, Restraints, Revenge, Situational Humiliation, Spells & Enchantments, Teasing, Tickling, Torture, Verbal Humiliation, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-06-23 11:27:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15605274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: Draco needs to do some fundraising for his house. He knows exactly whose help to enlist.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AngelBoy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelBoy/gifts).



> This was written for AngelBoy who requested a fic where Draco tickles Harry. His idea fit these two so perfectly. I had a blast writing Harry and Draco again after so long.
> 
> If you haven't read a tickle fic before, I hope you give this one a try and let us know what you think! (Please make sure to read the tags first!)

Another year at Hogwarts.

Summer had come and gone. For Draco, the time between school years seemed to pass at both an unfamiliarly fast and uncomfortably slow pace.

That Harry Potter...

He was in his head, tangled up in his thoughts like a nuisance.

Even when he wasn't around, he was such a bother. The pest had no idea. And that just made it all the more infuriating.

He was just an ordinary boy. Unremarkable. He received praise for doing absolutely nothing, attracted friends and admirers with no effort, and he didn't even need to open his mouth for his reputation to be heard and known around the wizarding world. His school life was everything Draco wanted his own to be, full of achievements and glory. (Except he didn't want all the hassle and danger. Potter could keep the danger to himself.)

His summer was idled away with his thoughts stuck on him.

He had to find a way to make Harry pay for all the time he'd made him waste. His thoughts deserved to be occupied by better things, like... Like things that _weren't_ Harry, that was for sure.

When he returned to school, Crabbe and Goyle were loyally waiting for him. They tried to make small talk, asking what he did during his summer. Draco made up fanciful stories for them that were only loosely based on true events. In reality, he barely remembered all the days he'd daydreamed his way through. At least they had his back when it came to Harry Potter. As soon as he uttered his name along a seething breath, their faces lit up with familiar wicked grins.

Although his summer had been spent pondering Potter, he hadn't plotted a proper plan to put him in his place.

Fortunately, Hogwarts presented him with an excellent opportunity.

Each house was going to organize their own events for a cultural festival. For three days, outsiders would be welcome to the school for entertainment provided by the students. It was everyone's chance to show their their skills and garner points for their respective houses. It was an especially valuable opportunity for the young wizards who had their eye on a certain position within the wizarding world. Recruiters and prospective employers visited the festivals each year to gauge the potential of the students. Without a doubt, the ones who stood out were remembered, their names written down to be contacted after graduation.

Although it was certainly an entertaining affair, it wasn't all fun and games. It was necessary for costs to be taken into consideration as events and activities were being discussed. They were limited by nothing but their imaginations – and their wallets. The school wasn't funding any of their efforts. Those three magical days were the responsibility of the students themselves.

It wasn't a competition, but Draco's competitive streak couldn't help but feel provoked. It as an opportunity for him to elevate Slytherin above Gryffindor.

They needed an impressive amount of money to put on an impressive show.

Draco had a foolproof money-making scheme in mind. As always, Crabbe and Goyle followed him from one place to another as he gathered the necessary items for his plan. They seemed to get the idea on their own as they watched his collection grow.

A long and elegant feather of an exotic bird.

Brushes of exceptional quality, each featuring unique and interesting bristles.

A well-worn book of uncommon hexes and their remedies.

“Hexes?” Crabbe had muttered uncertainly. “Thought I knew what you were up to, Draco, but now I've not got the foggiest clue...”

Goyle had also looked at him with a confused face. “When I saw the feather and those brushes, I thought you were plannin' on tickling Harry Potter to death or something.”

Precisely.

That was exactly what he had in mind. ...Not to _death_ , of course, but he had a brilliant plan that involved Potter and the fine tip of a feather. If there was one thing the Slytherins and the other houses had in common, it was a mutual distaste for Potter and his 'heroics'. None of them wanted to see Gryffindor back up at the top as the heroes of the cultural festival. Draco was going to be their savior.

...And he was going to snatch their money at the same time.

He had a bit of light entertainment planned, and his big helper was going to be...

 

“Harry Potter.”

“Malfoy.” Harry stopped where he was walking in the hall and turned around to face him. “What is it this time? I have to help with Gryffindor's fundraising for the festival, so I hope you don't plan on wasting my time.”

That was rich.

“Me?” Draco asked, his lips twitching into a grin. “Oh, Potter, if only you realized how much of my time you waste every day...”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. You didn't hear a thing.” Draco stepped toward him and laid a friendly hand on his shoulder. He didn't miss the way his touch made Harry jump. “I was looking for you, you know. You were just heading toward Slytherin House, weren't you?”

“Huh? No, I said I was just heading back to-”

“Great, great. Well, let's get a move on. It was so kind of you to volunteer to help the Slytherins. I'm quite surprised, to be honest. What an unexpectedly generous move from the shrewd Harry Potter. Are you trying to get on our good side? Oh, you sly boy, you. I imagine the other Gryffindors will be quite cross with you... But that's alright. The other houses are going to have newfound respect for you.”

Harry forcibly extracted himself from under Draco's grasp and took a step away. “Hold on. What are you talking about? Volunteer? For Slytherin? When did I ever do such a thing?” He paused, making a face, and shook his head to dismiss the idea altogether. “No... Better question: What makes you even think I'd help you?”

“Hm? You won't help?” Draco asked, giving him an innocent look, tilting his head to the side in mock curiosity.

“Of course not. Gryffindor needs me right now.” He paused again, except his expression faltered that time. He seemed to be succumbing to the facade Draco was feeding him. “Draco... Look, I'm sorry. It's actually not half-bad to hear you asking _me_ for help, but... This unfortunately isn't the time. Now, if you'll excuse me...”

Draco stepped in his way and prevented him from leaving. The few other students who were moving between houses hurried their way past them, not wishing to involve themselves in their business. No one was going to be coming to Potter's aid.

Dropping the innocent act, a wicked grin widened across Draco's face. “So naïve... I'm afraid you don't have a choice. Didn't you hear what I said? You've already volunteered to help us. Everyone is waiting for Harry Potter to make his appearance.”

“You... haven't set me up with something dangerous, have you?” Harry asked warily, looking at him with suspicion.

“Dangerous? I'd call that a matter of opinion.”

“I don't like the sound of this,” Harry muttered. A tense moment passed as he looked around the hallway. There were ways for him to escape. If he really wanted to, he could have tried to run, but Draco could tell that his interest had been captured. Harry was a curious creature by nature.

Danger?

Danger was thrilling to that boy. He was attracted to danger just as much as danger was attracted to him.

“Fine,” he said, relenting. “Take me there. Let's find out what you have up your sleeve. As long as this doesn't take too long, I suppose I... don't mind helping...”

“Atta boy, Potter!” Draco slapped him on the back and chuckled as he watched Harry stumble forward a couple steps. “You're a real chum. Let's be along, then. Mustn't keep the people waiting!”

 

When they arrived at the Slytherin common area, a small crowd had already formed, filling the seats that were set up around the unlit fireplace. Crabbe and Goyle were there, diligently collecting the admission cost from the students who came to watch.

As soon as Draco walked in with Harry in tow, the lot of them turned to look at them, their eyes widening and gleaming with mischievous interest. There were a few low chuckles and excited whispers among the group. All of the boys fidgeted in their seats, anxious to see what they were going to do. Although Draco hadn't explained a word of what he had planned to Harry, Crabbe and Goyle had already helped spread the word to entice the other houses. The boys filling the seats knew what they'd paid for.

“Welcome, everyone!” Draco said, raising his voice. He greeted them with a broad wave of his arms. “Thank you so much for coming! I see a few familiar faces here today. Let me tell you, you're in for an incredible show. As you can see, I have with me the one, the only, Harry Potter! Give him a round, wouldn't you? He's a busy boy. Show him how much you appreciate his time.”

There were cat calls and wolf whistles.

Draco enjoyed the uncomfortable look on Harry's face. He sidled up next to him and rubbed his shoulder up against Harry's, leaning in to whisper.

“Just play it cool, Potter. You wouldn't want me to look like a fool in front of all our lovely guests, would you?”

“Why wouldn't I?” Harry muttered, an edge in his voice. He sent Draco a searing glare from the corners of his eyes.

“Because,” Draco whispered back, his breath hot against Harry's ear. “In a right minute, I'm going to have the ability to do absolutely whatever I want with you. It would only be wise to behave yourself. Doing any less might make things... _unfortunate_ for you.”

Draco slipped away slowly, keeping his eyes locked on Harry's. He felt such a rush, seeing the fight in his eyes. Very soon, he was going to test him and see how long that obstinate attitude of his could last. He took out his wand, letting Harry see it to lure him into a false sense of security. He imagined what kind of thoughts had to be frantically flying through his mind. Likely, Harry was thinking of every counter-curse he knew, reciting them in his head to be prepared.

Reluctantly, Harry followed Draco to the front. Students were still filtering in, but most of the seats had already been filled at that point. Knowing how much each of those seats cost, Draco knew that he'd already secured his house a small fortune for the festival.

“Alright, now stand right here,” Draco said, lightly grabbing Harry to arrange him where he wanted him to be. Still, he hadn't explained what they were going to do. Draco flashed a smirk at their spectators. Before Harry could open his mouth – before he could even reach for his wand – with lightning-fast reflexes, Draco pointed his wand in Harry's direction and shouted, “Immobulus!”

Instantly, Harry froze where he stood, posing awkwardly, unable to move.

“Ah, perfect. What do you think, everyone?” Draco asked. He received nods of approval from the gathered students.

“Make him strip!” someone shouted from the seats.

“And how do you expect me to do that?” Draco asked, pretending to be unaware. They were even more unscrupulous than he was. Harry probably hadn't realized how devious some of his classmates were. Draco was honored to be the one who would disillusion him. “You couldn't be suggesting... Oh... No, no... I could never use _that_ spell...”

“Y-You're right,” Crabbe stammered. “That spell's forbidden, isn't it? You could get in serious trouble. D-Don't they send people to Azkaban for-”

Draco sent Crabbe a glare that immediately made him shut up.

“A student? To Azkaban? Over a paltry bit of mischief? You must be joking.” He shrugged and turned his favor back toward the audience. “I mean... As long as everyone here agrees that such a thing never took place, then there's no way anyone else would ever know what really happened in this room today. Isn't that right?”

The other students nodded their agreement.

Their money was as good as their word.

“So it's decided.” He faced Harry and calmly raised his wand. “Imperio!”

As soon as the spell connected, Harry's body became limp. His shoulders sagged forward. Even though he seemed able to move, he wasn't able to move without a word of command. It was no wonder the Imperius Curse was considered one of the ultimate forbidden curses. Draco could barely contain his excitement. He received such a rush, knowing that he could literally make him do whatever he wanted...

From the seats, once again, came a low, insistent chant of _Strip! Strip! Strip!_

“Potter, why don't you remove some of your clothes for us?” Draco asked nicely. When he saw Harry's hands immediately reaching for his belt, Draco shot out a hand and caught his wrist. “What? Not there! You must be easier than I thought... You're going to make me sweat here, Potter. Start somewhere else, like... Take off your top. How about that?”

Harry nodded mutely. By the unpleasant twist in his brow, Draco could tell that Harry was trying to fight the curse's effects, but it was a losing battle.

With a shrug, Harry's robe fell from his shoulders to the floor. His movements were automatic and mechanical like a doll's. He clasped the bottom of his dark grey vest and raised it up over his head with no complaints. His fingers stiffly unbuttoned each of the buttons going down the front of his shirt, then pushed it open and let it fall to the floor with the rest of his things.

Everyone had gone quiet. They sat on the edges of their seats, stupefied by the scene before them, amazed that _the_ Harry Potter, boy of legend, was seriously undressing before their very eyes.

As for Draco, he was also in disbelief. Even though he was the one who cast the spell, he hadn't prepared himself. His heart was pounding at the sight of Harry's pale skin. Shutting his jaw, he shook himself out of his stupor and nervously gathered up the clothes that Harry had discarded and pushed them off to the side, out of the way.

He returned to Harry and placed a hand on his shoulder. He opened his mouth, ready to speak, but he stopped when he felt Harry's shoulder shudder under his hand. Draco's face became hot with a sudden realization. It was perfect...

“Could it be... You're ticklish, Potter?” In the hall, he'd noticed Harry's strange discomfort when he touched his shoulder. He hadn't expected him to be ticklish in such a spot. “Oh dear. That must be troublesome for you. I wonder where else you're ticklish.”

Nervous, Harry visibly swallowed, but he remained frozen in place and unable to act on his own.

“Now you must realize why everyone came here, yes? These students parted with their money – money that could have gone to their own houses – for the chance to see you humiliate yourself. Do you even know how many of us have been waiting for a moment like this? You may have your fair share of admirers, but there are also those of us who think you could use more humility. I think it's up to us to keep that ego of yours in check.”

Harry's eyes narrowed. His fingers twitched, trying to curl into fists.

“First of all, give us a bow,” Draco directed.

Harry did exactly as he instructed, bowing politely at the waist. After a second, he stood back up, shoulders squared, back straight.

“Now... What would be embarrassing? How about a jig? Give us a foolish little dance, Potter.”

Once again, he did as he was told, failing his arms and legs about in an oafish dance. His face became red with embarrassment as the boys in attendance laughed and pointed at him. As silly as his dance was, it still wasn't enough to satisfy Draco. There were 'better' things that they could do to him.

Draco walked around him, pretending to admire him.

“Alright,” he said. “That's enough of that. You can stop now, Potter.”

Harry looked grateful that he'd let him stop so soon. He also appeared to be a little winded.

“For a Seeker, you aren't in very good shape, are you? That's surprising. I wonder what your fellow Gryffindors would think if they saw you like this.” Draco leaned toward him and pinched one of Harry's sides, squeezing a bit of pudgy fat between his fingers. Again, he noticed the way his touch made him shiver. He seemed to be getting closer to Harry's weak spot. “Don't you come from a poor household? Where did all of this flab come from, Potter? Your summer must have been filled with treats. How irresponsible.”

A few tears of shame appeared at the corners of Harry's eyes. It must have finally occurred to him that he was completely under their control, there to be mocked and teased, that other students had _paid_ to be given that privilege.

However, no one else was going to lay a hand on Harry unless Draco allowed it.

Very lightly, Draco squeezed Harry's side again and smiled when he saw him squeeze his eyes shut. Coming up behind him, he pinched both sides, showing everyone how squishy Harry'd become during the summer. Despite the spell he was under, Harry still shook when Draco touched his sides. Interested in getting an even stronger reaction out of him, Draco danced his fingers up his sides, thrumming the tips of his fingers up to his ribs. He seemed to be getting closer... Harry's quivering grew more intense as Draco went higher.

“You haven't spoken a word this whole time,” Draco said, backing away from him. He came around to look Harry in the eyes. “I suppose you wouldn't be able to speak unless I granted you permission. You'll have to forgive me – this is my first time using the spell. Go ahead and speak.”

“D-Draco!” Harry sputtered, his voice rising with irritation. “You're... You're going to pay for this!”

“Oh? I could make you forget that this even happened if I wanted to... Behave yourself, Potter.”

Thankfully, Harry closed his mouth and simply nodded to show that he understood.

“Now, spread out your arms,” Draco commanded. Harry did so, holding his arms out at his sides, leaving his whole upper body exposed.

Draco toyed with Harry's lower belly, but there wasn't much of a reaction. Harry only bit his lower lip, trying to hold in his voice. It would have been easy to ask him where he was most ticklish, but Draco liked watching him squirm in anticipation, fearing the moment when he'd discover it on his own. Harry was practically sweating by the time Draco made it up to his chest. His breathing had become rough with the effort to resist laughing. Everyone else also seemed to be holding their breath, leaning forward with intense interest. Even Crabbe and Goyle were standing by, wringing their hands as they watched.

“N-... No...!” Harry cried suddenly as Draco got closer to his chest.

“Here?” Draco asked, running the tip of one finger down the sweaty center of his chest.

Harry remained quiet and averted his eyes. However, he wasn't able to _not_ answer him. “No, that's... Not the spot.”

“Then what about...” Draco lightly poked the sensitive skin under Harry's arms.

At once, the breath that Harry had been trying to hold in burst out of his mouth.

“Ahaha! N-No...! Not there! Anywhere but there!” he cried, his body shuddering and straining with the effort to break free from the spell.

Pretending to be forgiving, Draco nodded sympathetically and stepped away. Harry hung his head and breathed heavily, seeming apprehensive yet relieved for the moment. As he caught his breath and relaxed, Draco waltzed away and picked up one of the items that he'd brought with him for the occasion.

When he returned, he showed the item off to the crowd. There were a few hushed gasps and chuckles.

Turning back to Harry, Draco put two fingers under his chin and lifted his head to look at him. He held up the long, elegant feather for him to see. It was quite a beauty, though Harry didn't seem to share his appreciation for it. There was a distinct look of horror in his eyes as he looked at its delicate, fluffy tip.

Draco wagged the end of it under Harry's nose.

“Hha... Hhaa... _HaaaCHOO!_ ”

Draco stepped out of the way a second before Harry sneezed. While Harry was still disoriented and reeling, Draco waved the end of the feather around his collarbones. It was very curious how ticklish his shoulders were. Draco hadn't expected that. Harry struggled, whining unpleasantly.

As soon as Draco moved it lower, teasing his sides, Harry started feeling it. Despite the curse, his body squirmed uncontrollably, writhing with his arms out as if he were struggling against invisible bonds. The sight of the brave and esteemed Harry Potter struggling so pitifully was enough to get the other students riled up and excited. They wanted more. They wanted to hear him laugh, and so did Draco. Harry wasn't going to be able to hold on for much longer.

Draco whisked the end of the feather gently below one of Harry's arms. For a second, Harry froze, trying to hold it in. Draco took the feather away to make him think he might be relenting. When he heard Harry sigh, he gave his tender underarm a few more whisks with the feather and was finally rewarded with some of Harry's sweet laughter.

“Ha...! Ahaha...! Oh no... No, Draco, please! Ahaha... Ha...”

He pursed his lips and tried to seal his laughter, but it was no use.

Draco stood in front of him. As he teased under his arm with the feather, he used his other hand to tickle Harry on the other side, lightly using his nails to scratch and graze the skin from his ribs to his armpit. It wasn't long before Harry was howling with laughter, his face red, barely able to breathe from the intensity of the ticklishness.

“N-Nooo...! I can't! Please! Draco, y-... You don't underst-stand!”

Curious, Draco paused for a second. He waited, letting Harry catch his breath. He grabbed Harry by the jaw and lifted his face up to look at him.

“What don't I understand?” he asked.

“I...” Harry's eyes were damp and glazed. “I'm... I'm too ticklish. Look, I'm sorry. If you guys have a problem with me, then I'm sure we can resolve it in some other way. My cousin used to tickle me and it was always a nightmare. If you keep tickling me, I might pass out or something, and then what are you going to do? M-My friends are waiting for me. They'll get suspicious. If they come over here, then what are you going to do?”

Draco tapped his foot and narrowed his eyes. “Is that a threat, Potter? Have you forgotten the position you're in? If you were looking for mercy, then that was a poor way of asking for it...”

“You're right!” Harry said, his voice desperate, eyes wild. “You're right, Draco. If you have your heart set on doing this, then... Could you... Go easy on me?”

Hm. So Harry knew how to beg. That was interesting.

That cousin of his must have really messed him up. Perhaps Draco would write to him and ask him for some advice.

There was also the chance that Harry was bluffing and that he had something up his sleeve. That always seemed to be the case with him. Either way, the pathetic tone of his voice was irritating. It just made Draco want to torment him even more.

“Rictusempra!”

With a simple wave of his wand, Harry began to convulse with uncontrollable laughter. The other boys praised Draco's clever application of the tickling charm with approving cheers.

The Imperius Curse may have already started to wear off under the stress from the tickling. Harry automatically fell to his knees and braced himself with his hands on the floor.

“Ha! Haha! AHA! Oh no... No! Ahaha... I can't! Draco, please! Aha haha ha...!”

“How does it feel, Potter? Tell us with as much detail as you can muster.”

Harry shook his head, but he wasn't able to disobey the order to speak. “It fee- Heee! F-Feels like... Ha haa! It feels like... Ahaha! Like I'm being tickled everywhere! B-By s-... So many hands! Haha ha ha ha...!”

“ _Everywhere?_ That's interesting. Do you remember how you embarrassed me by using the same spell on me in the Dueling Club? Bloody humiliating, that was. It tossed me back at least three meters... You could've given me a concussion. I wouldn't say I'm very ticklish, however. This spell seems to work differently depending on how ticklish you are. For someone as ticklish as you, it must be absolute torture.”

“It is!” Harry cried. He tossed his head back with a howl of uproarious laughter, showing everyone the helpless tears that were streaming down his face. “I-It's too much! Hah... Ahh... I can't stand it! P-Please...!”

“But you're laughing so much. Ironic how something so tormenting elicits the same response as something funny or enjoyable. But who am I to say? Maybe a part of you finds this enjoyable. You seem like the masochistic type to me.”

Harry didn't have a comeback that time. He just looked up at Draco with a pitiful look on his face, utterly broken and lost.

A pathetic sob left his mouth with his next breath. “I-I feel it everywhere,” he muttered. “Even inside. Hhh-...! Ah! Ahahaaa... Ugh- I f-feel it in my... throat...”

“Even in your throat?”

Draco got down on one knee in front of Harry and put a hand around his neck. Lightly, he moved his fingers up and down his neck. Tears streamed down Harry's face as he dug his nails into the carpet, unable to grab Draco's hand to make him stop.

“Rather than 'The Boy Who Lived', they should start calling you The Most Ticklish Boy Who Ever Lived,” Draco said with a laugh. That one earned him a few groans from the other students. When he glared in their direction, they realized their fault and hesitantly laughed along with him to humor him.

Grabbing a hand in Harry's hair, Draco gave him a rough yank and pushed him onto his back, leaving him laying in front of everyone.

“Stay,” he said, commanding him like a dog. He snapped his fingers and Goyle quickly hustled to his side with the rest of his implements. Draco took the collection of brushes from him and held them up in front of Harry. “Alright, Potter, tell me – which of these brushes worries you most?”

Harry's eyes hesitantly went from one brush to another. He grimaced, clenching his teeth. The tickling curse was still rampaging throughout his body, making difficult for him to do a single thing without laughing.

“Th... The one... Aah-... Hahaa! With the long bristles!”

Draco had suspected that that one would be the most displeasing. The brush was made with pony hair. It wasn't the most expensive one, but he knew from the second he laid eyes on it that it was the one that would be best for his purposes. It was light, the touch of its fine bristles as soft and gentle as an angel's whisper.

He gave Harry's underarm a little flick with the end just to hear him cry out.

“Ahhh...! Ahaha ha ha HA!”

“Crabbe. Goyle. Would you mind helping me for a moment?” he asked.

“Yeah, of course. What do you need?” Goyle asked.

“Each of you, take a shoe,” Draco said, pointing down. “I don't want to touch Potter's feet with my hands. If he was irresponsible enough to let himself go, then I don't have much faith in his bathing habits.”

Although they didn't seem pleased to handle the task, they set about it without argument. Each of them removed Harry's shoes and socks, baring his toes for Draco.

He was only kidding about Harry's hygiene. He followed him around enough to know that he visited the boys' bath regularly, so he wasn't that worried about touching his feet. In truth, he didn't know what he expected, so he was surprised by the lovely pink color at the tips of his toes. The center of his soles were pale and looked surprisingly soft. A part of him wanted to touch them...

With a lump growing in his throat, Draco grabbed one of Harry's ankles and raised the brush. He wasn't even concerned with the others who were watching anymore. At that moment, it felt like it was just him and Harry. His ears were filled with the gratifying sound of his giggles and laughs and all of the breathy gasps for air in between.

When he ran the soft brush down the center of Harry's twitching foot, Harry tossed his head back and shouted out loud.

“AhhhhH! Noooo...!”

“Hush, Potter! Don't get too loud, now. We wouldn't want any outsiders coming to see what's the matter.”

He trusted that Harry was going to heed that as a command. Harry shut his jaw tight.

Keeping his hand around Harry's ankle, Draco rested the back of Harry's heel on his knee and gently ran the tip of the brush around his toes, zigzagging in between each toe. Harry groaned with the effort to hold back his shouts, his teeth chattering, eyes rolling back. Only pained noises made it out from between his lips along with some errant giggles he couldn't control.

Draco was almost jealous. He wasn't as ticklish as Harry, so he knew he'd never experience what Harry was experiencing. However, just by looking at the suffering look on his face, he felt like he could get an idea. The image of his face covered in tears and snot was going to be burned into his memory, and Draco was going to treasure that memory. If Harry was going to intrusively occupy his thoughts, then Draco wanted to always imagine him with that pitiful face.

After giving his foot a few more torturous flicks with the soft pony hair brush, he moved to the other foot and gave it the same treatment.

“Hee hee... Draco... Draco, no- Hee! Ha ha haa... Haa! Ahahaa! Oh no, it's- It's too mu- huh ah ha ha HA!”

Ah... He couldn't resist anymore.

Dropping the brush, Draco placed both of Harry's feet in his lap and finally touched them with his fingers. He was surprised that they were just as soft as they looked. His heels felt so smooth and warm. For a boy who grew up in rugged conditions, he had awfully pretty feet. Draco felt like he may have found Harry's only good quality.

“Do you want me to release you from the Imperius Curse, Potter?” he asked, teasingly running the blunt tip of his nail along the tender edge of one of Harry's soles.

Harry nodded emphatically. “Please! Th-The tickle charm, too! Aha ha... Please!”

“No, that one will stay for now. The people want to see you reach your limit. If you promise to be good, however, I'll give you some freedom. It looks awfully painful to be frozen like that...”

“Yes! Anything! Please remove it!”

Just to be careful, Draco motioned toward Harry's wand. Goyle picked it up and held it firmly in his strong hands to be sure that Harry wouldn't be able to get it.

With a little flick of his own wand, Draco released Harry from the control of the Imperius Curse and the lingering effects of the freezing charm. Finally, he was able to move – and _move_ , he did. He couldn't stop flailing about wildly, hugging his middle as he laughed torturously. Crabbe helpfully came over and grabbed his wrists to stop him from thrashing about so much, letting Draco get back to work.

Harry's chest heaved and his back arched as Draco played with his toes. Harry seemed to be in serious distress, much to Draco's delight and the delight of the other students. He bit his lip and little giggles snuck past his lips as more hot tears of exhaustion rolled down his cheeks.

Draco lightly scratched between Harry's toes and raked his nails down the middle of his soles.

“Cry more, Potter!” someone in the crowd shouted.

“Look at him! He's losing his mind! He can't even speak!”

“You're the best, Malfoy!”

What an ego boost. Draco was proud to be putting his talents to use. He knew that there was no one who could torment Harry better than him. From the moment he was born, Harry was destined to be tormented for the rest of his life, and Draco wanted to be the one... Just him. No one else deserved the honor of being the one to make Harry cry and laugh helplessly.

Harry shook all over, face bright red from his endless laughter. His eyes were getting hazy again, but it wasn't from the Imperius Curse anymore. His ticklishness was really bringing him to the brink.

“To think that the great Harry Potter could be undone by something as simple as tickling... You truly are pathetic. Ah, but that's what we love about you, Potter!”

Everyone agreed wholeheartedly. They loved how ticklish and weak Harry was. The next time he annoyed them to the point of frustration, they knew how to handle him.

Eventually, Harry's laughs started to become more infrequent. His head fell back and his body stopped shaking as much. There was just a slight tremble. Saliva rolled down from the corner of his mouth as his eyes stared mindlessly up at the ceiling.

Draco let go of him and stood over him proudly. With another flick of his wand, he released him from the tickle charm.

“Looks like he's had enough.”

Crabbe let go of Harry and waved a hand in front of his face. “Hello? Anyone home?”

“Ha... Haha... Uhh... Ughh... Mnn...”

As the other students began to disperse, Crabbe grabbed Harry's robe off the floor and covered him with it.

Draco gave him a light kick in the side with the point of his shoe. Even that little contact made Harry squirm. “Pull yourself together, Potter. Didn't you say your friends would come looking for you? Hmph. Maybe they've given up on you.”

“D-... Draco...”

“Yes?”

Harry weakly lifted one of his hands and scrubbed at his face. Slowly, he turned onto his side and pushed himself up. “Um...” He stared blankly at his lap for a moment. He looked up, but he turned his face away again before Draco could understand the feeling in his eyes. “Sorry. Nothing. Never mind.”

“What was that?” Draco said, leaning closer.

“Never mind,” Harry repeated.

“Not that part, you dolt. The other thing.”

“...Sorry? You just want to hear me apologize?”

“That's right,” Draco said, grinning proudly, hands on his waist. “I'd like to hear it again sometime. If you ever feel like begging for my forgiveness again... You know how to find me.”

 

Harry shivered.

Despite the hell he'd been put through, there was something there...

 

Perhaps the forbidden curse had awoken something 'forbidden' in him.

 

Draco turned his back on him with a swish of his robe. He motioned for Crabbe and Goyle to follow him out as he started to walk away.

“See you around, Potter.”


	2. Turn the Tables

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Harry's revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At AngelBoy's request! I knew that some other people were interested in seeing a continuation, too. Here it is!

“Hey. Harry. What's up with you?”

Harry slowly lifted his head from the table and looked up at Ron who was trying to get his attention. He couldn't help it – he'd started spacing out again. Recently, he'd become distracted and he could tell that it was starting to bother his friends. Whenever there was a moment of silence, his thoughts just started to wander on their own. Before he knew it, he was thinking about _that_ all over again. He couldn't get it out of his head...

“Hm...”

“' _Hm?_ ' What, is that all you're gonna say?” Ron asked, slumping in his chair with a disappointed, exasperated sigh.

Ron was the closest thing Harry had to a best friend, so it was probably very frustrating for him to not understand what he was thinking. They could both be unpredictable in their own ways, but they always understood each other. When they weren't open about their thoughts and feelings, it tended to cause problems. No matter how troubled his thoughts were making him feel, Harry knew that nothing could be worse than letting a misunderstanding fester.

“S-Sorry,” he mumbled, awkwardly rubbing at the back of his neck. He and Ron had gone to the library to study. In a rare turn of events, Ron had gotten more studying done than Harry had. With a sigh, Harry closed the book in front of him and pushed it aside, deciding that it was finally time to approach what was bothering him. “You see... I've been thinking about Draco.”

“Oh no,” Ron said, giving him an exaggerated roll of his eyes. “I already don't like where this is going. Every time his name comes up, I swear...”

For some reason, Harry felt a little annoyed by Ron's reaction. Even though he was aware of Ron's distaste for the Malfoys, he felt unusually defensive on Draco's behalf all of a sudden. It seemed unnecessary, though – especially when he considered the circumstances. He should have been furious with Draco after what he did, but instead... He just couldn't stop thinking about him. Draco was monopolizing his thoughts. The events of that one day kept replaying in his mind.

He decided to press onward, ignoring Ron's attitude.

“Do you remember the fundraiser we had a while ago?”

“For the school festival?” Ron nodded absently. “Yeah, sure, I remember. What about it?”

Harry shifted in his seat, suddenly feeling anxious. His heart was pounding.

Was that embarrassment?

He wasn't sure. His words hesitated on his tongue. He didn't want Ron to think he was lame or weak... But he had to tell him about what happened if he hoped to get Draco off his mind.

“Well...” He pushed up his glasses and fiddled with his pencil. “You remember how I disappeared for a while?”

A strange look crossed Ron's face for a split second. Harry knew that if he hadn't been paying attention, he would have easily missed it. For that split second, Ron looked awfully serious. He was probably already thinking of all the ways he could blame Draco for his absence.

“That was Draco's fault, wasn't it?”

He was kind of predictable...

But the things that made Ron predictable also made him reliable. Harry knew that Ron would have his back. It was safe to tell him about what happened. Probably.

“I'm surprised you didn't press me about where I went, but... You've probably heard the rumors, haven't you?”

By the look of it, Ron had indeed heard.

After that incident, some loudmouthed students blabbed about what happened, breaking the promise they'd made to keep it under wraps. If the school found out that it was all true, a few dozen students would probably get expelled. While Harry thought they deserved punishment for what they did, that seemed a bit too extreme. They were being manipulated by Draco – he was the one who was to blame for it.

“So... The rumors are true, then?” Ron asked, his voice quiet and serious. His brows came together in a scowl.

“I don't know what all you've heard, but... Yeah. I've heard some of the whispering, myself. Draco claimed he needed my help and I trusted him like a bloody fool. A bunch of students paid to watch me get tortured by Draco.”

“Tortured? Th-... That's horrible!” Ron blurted, disturbing the silence of the library. A few of the students around them looked at them, irritated. Ron awkwardly sat back in his chair and avoided their stares. “So, uh... Do you mind if I ask...? What'd he do, exactly? If he did something awful, shouldn't you've told someone? You can't let him get away with it.”

Harry wondered what Ron was imagining. It wasn't as bad as whatever he was probably thinking. But still, it was embarrassing.

“He just tickled me, that's all.”

Ron's face suddenly got a bit red. “He... tickled you?”

“Y-Yeah. Hey, don't you go getting weird about it, too. I couldn't believe how many guys seriously _paid_ money to watch him tickle me. I was dying inside. I'd do anything to get back at him now.”

Ron looked like he was still thinking about it.

Harry snapped his fingers in front of Ron's face.

“Oh! Yeah. You're absolutely right, Harry. Who does he think he is, making money off of you like that? That's messed up. Hermione 'n' me were seriously worried about you, you know? If you hadn't come back when you did, she would've gone looking for you. Still, when you got back, we saw how shook you looked. We knew something must've happened...”

“What do you propose we do?” Harry asked.

Ron stroked his chin. A devious grin grew across his face, widening from ear to ear.

“You've come to the right person, Harry. I know exactly what we should do.” He pushed back his chair and got up, picking up his things with him. “We're going to fight fire with fire. Give that slimy bastard what he's got comin' to him!”

Harry knew what he meant.

His heart instantly began to pound faster at the mere suggestion. He kept thinking about what it was like to be tickled and humiliated by Draco... But he hadn't even considered how things would be if he gave him a taste of his own medicine. It felt like a whole world of possibilities opened up before him. Leave it to Ron to come up with such an idea.

 

They began plotting the perfect moment.

They needed to get Draco alone. If they tried to be as bold as Draco, they knew that they would have gotten in trouble for sure. They had to be more careful and subtle, choosing the right time to strike.

So, at night, they waited right outside the hallway that led to the Slytherin dorm. Usually, they were busy trying to _avoid_ Draco, but that also meant that they'd become familiar with his movements.

As they waited, Harry felt his heart start to pound again. He couldn't believe how excited he was. He tried to tell himself that it was just because he was excited to finally get his revenge on Draco, but the thought of tickling him had almost completely taken over. With each person that past by, he got a little more excited. His muscles were coiled and ready to spring into action the second he saw him.

At last, when Draco walked through, Harry jumped out in front of him.

 

“P-Potter...?” he sputtered, caught off guard. “What do you think you're doing? Get out of my way this instan-”

Ron jumped out from his hiding spot and grabbed Draco from behind, seizing his arms. To their surprise, however, Draco didn't struggle. The condescending look on his face told them that he was underestimating them.

He sighed dramatically. “I don't know what you think you're doing, but you should know that Crabbe and Goyle will be here any second. If you don't want a clobbering, I recommend you unhand me.”

“Actually, we already took care of them,” Ron said confidently. “I don't know why you rely on those lugheads. They're so easy to dupe. We spotted them coming this way earlier and told them you were somewhere else.”

“And they believed you...” He didn't even sound surprised, just disappointed. “So? Are you planning to blackmail me? I assume this is your 'revenge' for that time. I hope you know that there's nothing stopping me from shouting and alerting the whole school.”

“Oh?” Ron smirked and raised an eyebrow.

“ _Silencio!_ ” With a quick and simple flick of his wand, Harry successfully rendered Draco mute. Draco opened his mouth and moved his lips, but nothing came out.

 

It was quite simple for them to spirit him away after they secured him.

They brought him to their dorm and made sure that they soundproofed the room with a charm before releasing him from the silencing spell.

 

Ron let him go. Draco stumbled backwards into the room, sputtering and making awkward noises as he tried to figure out how to speak again. Once he got his bearings, he narrowed his eyes and stared at Ron while speaking directly to Harry.

“Why'd you have to get Weasley involved? I think you and I could have worked this out on our own terms, Potter.”

“That isn't true, and you know it,” Harry said, crossing his arms over his chest. Without someone else's intervention, they never would have faced what happened, and Draco wouldn't have been held responsible. Someone needed to make him pay, and there was no one who disliked him more than Ron. With Ron there to back him up, Harry knew that he'd see some results.

Draco's eyes wandered from Ron to the door behind them. He was probably trying to think of a way to escape, but they wouldn't let him.

“Harry, why don't you give your wand a wave and come up with something that'll keep this bugger from running off?” Ron asked.

Harry felt like he was being put on the spot. He wasn't that creative. So he tried to think...

Something to hold him... Some kind of trap...

What materialized from his imagination were medieval-style, wooden stocks. It looked antiquated, but it would definitely serve their purposes. Draco would be totally helpless.

“Whattaya know? That's perfect,” Ron said, giving him an approving thumbs-up.

The two of them converged on Draco and grabbed him, tearing off his robe as he struggled. It didn't matter how much he yelled because the silencing charm they placed on the room made it so no one would hear them. It was going to stay in effect for a while. Even so, Draco struggled valiantly, but he was no match for the two of them. Ron managed to subdue him on the floor, giving Harry the chance to undress him.

“Wh-...! What in the world are you-...!”

He went surprisingly still when Harry removed his vest and began unbuttoning the front of his shirt. His face was red, but there was also a bit of fear in his eyes.

“Simple,” Harry said, quickly working his way down. “This is revenge. We're going to see how you feel about being tickled.”

Draco gave him a nervous-looking grin. “O-Oh...? Is that all?”

“What, are you not ticklish?” Ron asked.

When Harry finished unbuttoning Draco's shirt, he hauled him back up to his feet. He pulled his shirt off of him and passed Draco to Ron. “I remember,” Harry said. “I tried casting a tickle charm on him once and it practically bounced right off him. That's why I kept working on that charm. It ought to work now.”

“Pft. Yeah right,” Draco muttered. He still had a big attitude for someone in his position. “Do you really think you can make me ticklish with a spell? I'm not sure that's how that works.”

“There's only one way to find out, isn't there?” Harry said. As soon as Draco heard the confidence in Harry's voice, he seemed to finally realize what trouble he was in. His eyes grew wide with apprehension as Harry raised his wand. “ _Rictusempra!_ ”

A moment of silence followed.

“Shouldn't he be laughing?” Ron asked.

Draco laughed – but it was an arrogant laugh. “See? You're both pathetic. What an embarrassment. I'll be on my way now-”

He attempted to get away as if he thought that their plan had ended in failure. He managed to get himself out of Ron's grasp, but as soon as Harry grabbed him around the waist, Draco froze and covered his mouth with both hands. He made a sound in his throat. Something was trying to come out...

“Ah-...”

“Who's pathetic now?” Harry asked.

“Y-You a- aha...! Ahaha!”

To test how well his spell had worked, Harry wiggled the tips of his fingers up and down Draco's exposed sides. Laughter poured from Draco's lips. Covering his mouth wasn't enough to hold it back. Endless giggles bubbled up from his throat, refusing to be held down.

“Ahaha! Haha! Ahahahaha! P-Potter! Sto-ahaha! Stop this! HAHA!”

While he had Draco immobilized with laughter, Harry looked at Ron and nodded toward the stocks he'd conjured, gesturing for him to open them. Ron went over to it and positioned it in the center of the room. He lifted the top, then came over and helped Harry drag a struggling, laughing Draco over to them. There wasn't much Draco could do to help himself while he was laughing except weakly try to bat them away.

Once they had his head and hands locked between the wooden pieces and secured with locks, they stepped back and gave him a moment to breathe.

“What do you know?” Harry said, putting a finger under Draco's chin to make him look up at him. “Looks like someone's ticklish after all.”

“I... I despise you,” Draco spat. He tried to bite Harry's finger, but Harry pulled his hand away before he got the chance.

“Do you? I'm not so sure. For someone who 'hates' me, you seem to think about me an awful lot. I wonder what that's about? Rather than 'torturing' me, are you sure you didn't do that for yourself? I think there was an ulterior motive involved.”

Ron nodded. “Kinda obvious, ain't it? I thought you knew. Draco's totally got a crush on you. He just can't express himself like a normal person. That's why he acts like... You know.”

“A jerkass bully?” Harry provided.

“That's it.”

Well. They were going to do something about that. They were going to tickle him until Draco had no choice but to spill his honest feelings. Harry wanted to hear the full truth of his thoughts, directly from his mouth. If his own feelings for Draco were a mistake, then he wanted proof that would free him from his thoughts of him...

Ron walked around the trapped Draco, inspecting him. “I wonder where he's the most ticklish? He seemed to laugh a whole lot when you grabbed him 'round the middle. Right here,” he said, poking him in the side. Even though it was just a little touch, Draco burst out into peels of laughter. “Whoa. I guess I'm kinda ticklish too, but I'm nowhere near _that_ ticklish. Your spell really worked wonders, Harry. Good job.”

Harry wandered to his bed for a second. He picked up his pillow and unzipped the end of it and pulled out the longest feather he could find. It wasn't as nice as the one Draco used on him, but he figured that the effects would be about the same.

When Draco saw him approaching with the feather in hand, he started to quiver. Sweat rolled down his forehead. “S-Stay away from me with that!” he warned.

“Or what?” Harry asked. He knew that there was nothing Draco could do to stop him. He held the feather loosely between his fingers and lightly waved it across Draco's nose.

“Ah-...! AH...!” His breath stuttered, but he held on, trying to keep himself from sneezing. He wasn't able to hold back for long, though. His eyes started to water and his lips quivered with the effort. After a few more swishes of the feather over his nose, back and forth, he gave a loud sneeze. “HA-! HACHOO!”

Harry didn't stop there, though. He brushed the feather across his cheek and gently tickled along the shell of Draco's ear. Harry could only imagine how it must have felt with the spell amplifying his ticklishness. Within moments, Draco's eyes were rolling back, nonsensical mutterings falling from his lips as Harry poked the soft tip of the feather into the sensitive center of his ear. They'd barely gotten started, but Draco looked like he was already losing his senses. He whimpered and babbled, easily dropping his usual tough act.

It was exciting. Harry couldn't believe how satisfying it was to watch him coming apart.

He didn't think of himself as a vengeful person. He might have even been alright with letting Draco have the upper hand forever... But he couldn't help but feel like Draco was getting what he deserved. For all of the petty trouble Draco had put him through, a little bit of embarrassment was the least he deserved.

Ron laughed as he watched. “Just imagine if the other Slytherins saw you like this. They'd probably disown you. I know Slytherins are shameless, but this is something else.”

“If I didn't know better, I'd almost think he was enjoying himself,” Harry said. He lifted the feather away from Draco's ear and ran the tip across his cheek and down to his jaw. Gently, he ran it along his neck, watching his reactions. Although it didn't elicit any laughs, it seemed difficult for Draco to keep a straight face when he touched him there.

“Yeah right. This is-...” Draco clenched his jaw and cut off his own words to keep himself from finishing his thought. Harry was pretty sure he was able to call it humiliating. That was the whole point. Draco just didn't want to admit that they were succeeding.

“Hey, Ron. You should try tickling him.”

“Ugh, don't let that filthy weasel touch me!” Draco said, sending Ron a glare full of disgust. By the virtue of the fact that he was so repulsed by the idea of being touched by Ron, that meant that Ron _had_ to touch him. Draco was terrible about giving away his weaknesses.

Ron cracked his knuckles and stepped up, ready to serve Draco some cold hard revenge on Harry's behalf. Draco strained his wrists against the stocks, but he wasn't able to pull his hands out of the holes. His wrists were tightly trapped. He even tried to reach the lock with the tips of his fingers, but he wasn't going to be able to unlock it without a key. His futile attempts just made them laugh, amused at the way he visibly became more and more flustered and nervous.

As Ron's hands neared him, Draco tried to shift away from him, but Harry grabbed him by the hips and held him still, letting Ron go in for the attack.

The second his fingers came in contact with Draco's ribs, Draco started laughing uproariously.

“Ahaha! Hahahaha! AHA HA HA HA!!”

“Don't get the wrong idea,” Ron said. “It's not like I wanna be touching you, either, but heck... If you're going to laugh and make a darned fool out of yourself like this, then it's worth it! You should see yourself.” He kept tickling his fingers along Draco's ribs, reaching around him to touch the other side at the same time. As he moved his hands lower, reaching Draco's stomach, he paused and looked up. “Huh. You aren't as skinny as I thought. You're kinda soft in the middle. It's pretty bold of you to make fun of others for their looks when you're like this.”

Draco couldn't even come back with a witty quip to defend himself, too busy laughing.

“Haha! Ahahaa! Hahahaa!”

He was already starting to sound a bit breathless. From the second they touched him, he couldn't stop himself from laughing. Every little bit of contact seemed to activate his magically-enhanced ticklishness. He tested his bonds again as he laughed. His laughs gradually started to turn to frustrated groans and gasps as Ron continued to assault his tummy with tickles.

“Haaa... Hahaagh...! St-... Ngh! Ahaha! HAHA!”

Eventually, Ron stepped away – not because he felt like Draco deserved a break, but because he personally felt satisfied for the moment. “Here, Harry. This is your revenge, after all. His stomach seems like a weak spot. You should give it a try for yourself.”

“Yeah... Alright, don't mind if I do.”

There it was again. His heart started to speed up as he approached. He saw Draco give him a fearful look from the corners of his damp eyes, but that look just made Harry's pulse race even faster. He enjoyed it whenever Draco's petty plans backfired on him, but he especially liked being the one to bring him down off his high horse.

The two of them already had something special.

He lifted the feather, reminding Draco that he still had it. Fear flashed in Draco's eyes as he watched him. Harry lightly ran it down the center of Draco's back, along his spine. His breath caught in his throat and came out as a choked gasp. Very lightly, Harry dusted the tip of the feather along one of Draco's soft, tender sides and savored the suffering laughter it evoked from him. Draco's knees shook unsteadily, but he didn't try to get away anymore. It seemed like he'd finally accepted that he simply had to endure his punishment.

Once he used the feather to tease both of his sides, Harry brought the feather around to Draco's front and swished the tip around his middle. The closer he got to his navel, the louder Draco's laughter became. Harry realized that it had to be one of his most ticklish spots.

“Right here?” he said, teasing the feather around his bellybutton over and over. Draco bit back an embarrassing noise and both Harry and Ron chuckled to themselves. “What an obvious spot...” He leaned really close, letting Draco feel his breath against his ear. “I wonder where else you're ticklish...?”

Harry remembered how horrible it was to be tickled. He hoped that Draco was experiencing even a fraction of the humiliation he felt.

“Ahaha! Haaa... Ahahaa...” His laughs were slowly turning to sobs as he gasped for air. It didn't matter what sort of things he had to say for himself. Even if he tried to apologize, an apology from someone like him would have felt insufficient. Harry wasn't going to be satisfied until his face showed that he'd learned his lesson. They were getting closer.

“I have an idea,” Harry said. He gestured for Ron to help. “Keep tickling him for me. I'm going to take off his shoes.”

“Ha... Ahgh... St-... Don't... Potter... Ahagh...”

Perfect. That response confirmed Harry's hypothesis. Draco didn't want them to touch his feet.

While Harry crouched to remove Draco's shoes, Ron resumed the tickling for him. They didn't want Draco to get too comfortable.

Ron put both of his hands on him, grabbing him on both sides. He started at his sides and worked his way upward that time, playing the tips of his fingers over his ribs. When he reached his underarms, Draco suddenly howled.

“AhaaaaaaAA!”

“Hehe, looks like I found a good spot!” Ron said proudly, rubbing his knuckles into Draco's armpits. Even if he didn't like touching him, he loved the fact that he was able to make the proud Draco Malfoy suffer with a simple tickle.

Meanwhile, since Ron was doing such a good job keeping him distracted, Harry was able to slip Draco's shoes off of him with little struggle. Draco noticed him tugging on his laces and tried to pull his foot away, but he gave up after he almost lost his balance. He just didn't have the presence of mind to properly struggle anymore. He was losing it.

While Ron kept teasing the sensitive spot under Draco's arms, Harry knelt behind Draco and lifted one of his feet, placing it in his lap. As he ran one finger down the middle of Draco's sole, he indulged in the sound of his helpless laughter. It wouldn't have felt right to hurt him or get back at him with something violent and cruel. Tickling was the perfect punishment. It almost sounded like Draco was laughing at himself, and that was precisely what he deserved. Harry thought he could stand to be a little more self-effacing.

“That's right – laugh. You should try laughing at yourself more often,” Harry said, adding to his torment by raking his nails over his tender sole. Draco's toes curled and he whined around another burst of laughter.

“Hh- Hnngh haaa... Ahaha! HAA! Aaaheeheehahaahaa!”

“You have a pretty nice laugh, to be honest. It's just a shame you're always laughing at others.”

Harry wouldn't have minded if things were different between them. It wasn't so bad, having someone he could call his rival, but he wished that Draco would get over himself. They'd both be better for it, he thought.

Draco's heel seemed more ticklish than Harry expected it to be, but the strongest reaction still came from his inner sole. Harry decided to tease elsewhere for the moment, giving him a false sense of security as he brushed his fingers over his toes. The space between them also seemed to get a nice reaction out of him.

“Heeeee!” Draco squealed, his leg jerking in Harry's grasp.

Harry held his ankle tightly with one hand and used the other to relentlessly tickle his sole. Harry remembered what it felt like whenever someone tickled him without stopping. It was a horrible feeling. It made his head feel fuzzy. Laughing continuously made it hard to breathe. The lack of control was frightening. Even though it was harmless in the end, it was the kind of punishment that left a lasting impression. He wanted Draco to remember that he wasn't invincible. They were able to bring him down that easily.

Draco's face was red. Warm tears rolled down his face as he continued to laugh. His voice was getting hoarse. His breaths stuttered and hiccuped.

With him and Ron both tickling him at the same time, it had to be utter torture. Not only was he unable to speak, Harry highly doubted that he was even able to think anymore.

Deciding that it was time to finish him, Harry grabbed his other ankle and set both of Draco's feet in his lap. That took the work off Draco. He didn't have to worry about keeping himself balanced in the stocks anymore, but it came at the cost of his vulnerable soles.

“Aha! Haaa!! AHHAHAAAA!!! AHAA HAHAHA HAHA AHAHA!”

It was a good thing they had the silencing charm in effect, otherwise the entire school would have likely heard him. Having his poor soles and armpits tickled at the same time seemed to have broken him. He laughed deliriously as they worked him over. They kept going until he was gasping and twitching all over.

Slowly, Ron backed away and Harry set Draco's feet back on the floor. He remained unsteady, his knees buckling. He almost choked himself when he slumped against the wooden stocks locked around his neck.

Harry and Ron stood in front of him with their arms crossed, watching his pathetic, tear-stained, snot-covered face, waiting for him to speak.

“Th... This isn't the end of this... Potter.”

Ron growled. “Are you for real? How do you still have that attitude after all of that? You want us to keep going or what?”

“It's fine,” Harry said, putting an arm out to hold Ron back. “It's fine this way.”

He didn't want to erase all the fight from him. Draco wouldn't have been the same Draco if he gave up that easily – but Harry wanted to see how he planned to make a comeback after being so thoroughly humiliated by the two people he claimed to detest the most.

Harry was the one who released him from the stocks. He just lifted his wand and vanished them. Once released, Draco tripped over his own feet and fell to the floor. As soon as he got up, he scrambled to retrieve his clothing and started to redress himself, muttering all the while. He looked so flustered, it made Harry smile.

With his collar sticking up, his robe resting lopsided on his shoulders, Draco bolted for the door. He paused there and looked back at them over his shoulder.

“Y... You guys aren't going to try to stop me? You're just going to let me walk out of here?”

Harry and Ron shared a look.

Harry shrugged with a smile. “Why not? Are you going to go back and tell your 'friends' how mean we were to you? They know what you did to me. No matter how you slice it, it's going to sound like karma.”

Draco's cheeks burned with a frustrated and humiliated blush.

It was the most honest he'd ever been.


End file.
